Microsoft OneNote | Sensitivity labels now available on desktop, web, iOS, Android, and Mac

Originally posted by Microsoft Sep 23, 2025 Uncategorized 0 Comments

Microsoft is rolling out Microsoft Purview sensitivity labels for OneNote sections across Win32, Web, iOS, Android, and Mac clients (excluding Windows 10 UWP) from late January 2026 to 2027. This enables encryption, access control, and compliance enforcement aligned with organizational policies, enhancing data protection and admin control.

We’re introducing support for Microsoft Purview sensitivity labels in OneNote. This update enables users to classify and protect OneNote sections using the same compliance standards available across Microsoft 365 apps. Labels can be applied directly within OneNote, helping ensure sensitive content is encrypted, access-controlled, and aligned with organizational policies. This change supports consistent data protection across platforms and endpoints.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 500020.

When this will happen

General Availability (Worldwide, GCC, GCCH, and DoD): We will begin rolling out on late January 2026 and expect to complete by late January 2027.

How this affects your organization

This update enhances data protection and compliance capabilities by extending sensitivity labeling to OneNote sections. Admins will gain greater control over how sensitive information is handled within OneNote, aligning it with other Microsoft 365 apps. This is particularly beneficial for organizations in regulated industries, helping mitigate risk and enforce compliance policies across endpoints.

Who is affected:

All users of supported OneNote clients across platforms, including organizations in regulated industries and those with compliance requirements.

What will happen:

• Sensitivity labels will be available in supported OneNote clients:
  • OneNote Win32 (Desktop)
  • OneNote for Web
  • OneNote for iOS
  • OneNote for Android
  • OneNote for Mac
• OneNote for Windows 10 (UWP) will not support this feature.
• Users will be able to apply sensitivity labels directly to OneNote sections.
• Labeled sections will be encrypted and access-controlled based on organizational policies.
• Admins can enforce labeling policies and monitor usage via Microsoft Purview.
• Label policies can be scoped using Entra ID group membership.

What you can do to prepare

To prepare for this rollout:

• Ensure endpoints are using supported OneNote clients: Win32, Web, iOS, Android, and Mac.
• Transition away from OneNote for Windows 10 (UWP), which will not support sensitivity labels.
• No additional setup is required beyond maintaining updated builds.
• Admins may want to validate readiness and communicate expected changes to users.
• Review and update internal documentation to reflect supported platforms.

Learn more: Learn about sensitivity labels | Microsoft Purview | Microsoft Learn

Compliance considerations

Does the change alter how existing customer data is processed, stored, or accessed (e.g., documents, emails, chats, etc.)?	Yes. This change enables encryption and access control for OneNote sections, modifying how sensitive customer data is processed and accessed within OneNote.
Does the change modify Information Protection labels or sensitive information types?	Yes. It extends the applicability of Microsoft Purview sensitivity labels to OneNote sections, modifying how labels are used across Microsoft 365 apps.
Does the change modify Conditional Access policies, Data Loss Prevention (DLP), or other Purview capabilities?	Yes. Admins can enforce labeling policies in OneNote, which may interact with existing DLP and Conditional Access configurations.
Does the change alter how admins can monitor, report on, or demonstrate compliance activities (e.g., via Purview or admin reporting)?	Yes. Admins will be able to track and report on sensitivity label usage in OneNote through Microsoft Purview compliance solutions.
Does the change include an admin control, and can it be controlled through Entra ID group membership?	Yes. Label policies can be scoped and enforced using Entra ID group membership, allowing targeted deployment and control.

Message ID: MC1157712